Llandovery V Neath
Wednesday February 2nd 2005, 7.15pm KO

MATCH REPORT (by Phil Space)

LLANDOVERY 27 NEATH 13
Then there were three ! Neath made it a hat-trick of West Wales reverses when they went down at Llandovery in midweek and - although it was better than Carmarthen -it was not good enough as the Drovers gained their second win in four days.

Neath played only in flashes and one such occasion, after the forwards had punched big holes, led to their only try when James Hook arrowed through a gap. He converted and kicked two penalties that pushed Neath into a 13-8 first-half lead that they held only briefly.

Llandovery discovered a local hero in Waunarlwydd outside-half Simon Daniel, the ex-Dunvant and Narberth player, who played the game of his life and controlled affairs from his box seat. He scored a try converted it, dropped a goal, banged over four penalties and repeatedly kicked off-colour Neath back into their own heartland. Wing Ifan Evans earlier crossed for Llandovery's first try.

Neath failed to heed the lesson of Hook's try and seemed to content to shuffle slow ball into heavily defended areas. In the second-half, they made Llandovery defend desperately in the shadow of their posts and stretched them to both corners but at the end of the day the home side were worthy winners.

Fortunately for the Blacks, Llanelli's demise continued at Newport then Cardiff so they remain on top of the table. Newbridge next Wednesday at The Gnoll provides the Blacks with a chance to get back on track but improvement is paramount.

Neath v Llandovery - Neil Clapham; Gareth Morris (captain), Dave Tiueti, Wayne Mitchell (Richard Johnston), Aled Bevan; James Hook, Mark Davies; Paul Jones, Andy Littlehales, Alfie Betham; Steve Martin, Ben Davies; Lee Beach (Andy Llewellyn), Hywel Jenkins, John McPhail Replacements - Mike Jones, Gareth Williams, Alun Wyn Davies, Chris Gittins, James Davies